The Power of One: How Partnering Can Enhance Your Independent Brand

This article was sponsored by Benzer Pharmacy.

To paraphrase an old cliché, it's a pharmaceutical jungle out there. From hourly ads on television touting the benefits of a drug over any other to the political posturing and profiteering that has gone on in the industry overall, it is safe to say that there has never been a more complex and confusing time to be part of the health care community. The times are not only changing, but they are often contradicting each other, with the bottom line sometimes becoming a bigger concern than a customer's well being or a community's needs.

For the independent pharmacist, one working outside the strictures of a massive multinational retail conglomerate, it all comes down to competition. With deals being made on behalf of thousands of stores vs. your one-on-one singular negotiating status, it's almost impossible to keep costs down. It's as if you are fighting 2 battles—one against the giants and the other against those who favor their outlet-on-every-street-corner dynamic.

The Mom and Pops and stand-alones out there need to come together and form an alliance. As Benzer Pharmacy's Franchise Development Director Vinesh Darji puts it, "to thrive in this industry, independent pharmacy owners need to collaborate under one unique yet individual brand."

Still sounds a little like the big guys, right? Everyone coming under the same shingle to provide a specific standard of service and care? But in reality, what the Benzer brand has to offer is something unique in the industry. From operational support to tips on marketing, being part of such a set-up allows pharmacists to do what they do best, just be a pharmacist.

It is estimated that there are nearly 22,000 independent pharmacies in the United States, according to the NCPA.¹ If only 10% came together under a single umbrella, that's more than 2,200 outlets working together, it would be much easier to bring awareness and opportunities under one strong name. The visibility, public rapport, and traffic can be heightened together.

Then again, the major benefit of such a conglomerate is an increase in purchasing power. The difference between a single store negotiating and several thousand hammering out a deal is obvious—there's power in numbers. Joining Benzer reduces your costs, on average of 1%-5% annually, that is more money to your bottom line.

Benzer is dedicated to the customer experience, forging a reputation, and maintaining a reliability that potential franchisees can use to gauge their health care strategies. A dependable support system providing a proven business model that works, giving independent pharmacists more power as professionals and more ways to grow their own brand. More help to manage multiple locations, ultimately increase your net worth!

Benzer offers a dedicated franchise consultant to provide coaching, training, and assistance on a regular basis to all franchisees. Participants also get a Marketing Department, a go-to source for dealing with changing business conditions and local promotional assistance. Along with help in other categories like accounting, HR, compliance, insurance, legal and day-to-day operations. Benzer brings awareness and opportunities by unifying independents under one strong name. As your costs and expenses decrease, your bottom line will soar, so will your client satisfaction.

Focused on having a positive impact on the community and those in it, Benzer wants independent pharmacists to be successful. Benzer’s team of specialists promotes customer conversions while lowering turnover rates, and they do this by providing attentive support every step of the way. With over 10 years of experience and a team of professionals compiling hundreds of years of industry involvement and expertise, Benzer has answers and solutions to some of the industry's more complicated concerns.

If you want to be part of a team that still allows you to function as your own independent boss, it's the choice to make. Be part of the pharmaceutical revolution.

References

1. NCPA. Independent Pharmacy Today. NCPA website. Accessed Jan. 18, 2018 at: http://www.ncpanet.org/home/independent-pharmacy-today